Only nine of the MLAs in the 14th Kerala Assembly are ‘farmers’ by occupation while the major chunk are either ‘social, political or trade union workers,’ according to the data compiled by the research wing of the Kerala Assembly Secretariat.
The Assembly had nine businessmen and two industrialists. Lawyers were a considerable force, with 33 members practising the profession. Ten MLAs figure in the category of teacher/professor/Principal/Headmaster/educational expert. The categories of actors and journalists had two representatives each in the Assembly. In terms of educational qualification, the 14th Assembly had 16 postgraduates and 17 undergraduates. Twenty-one had SSLC as basic qualification while the corresponding figure of MLAs with pre-degree/higher secondary was 25. Seven members had qualification lower than SSLC. Thirty-eight MLAS had BL/LLB as their educational qualification. Nine members were BEd/TTC-qualified. Three MLAs had secured BTech degree while the number of legislators with postgraduate diploma was two.
Four MLAs had secured MPhil while three had PhD. The outgoing Assembly had three MBA graduates while two had not provided information on their educational qualification. The 14th Assembly had only eight women members.
Oldest, youngest
Nearly 60% of the MLAs in the 14th Assembly were above the age of 55. Of this, 39 were in the age bracket of 65-74 while five were in the 75-84 range. Only three MLAs were in the age group between 25-34 while the corresponding figure in the age group between 35 and 44 was 19. Thirty-four MLAS figured in the age bracket between 45 and 54. Veteran CPI(M) leader and former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan was the senior-most member. Mohammed Mohsin P. of the Communist Party of India was the youngest MLA.
G. Krishnakumar
